Automatic drainage device



June 24, 1958 F. v. GRAMENZI AUTOMATIC DRAINAGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 INVENTOR Gramenzt ATTORNEYS.

June 24, 1958 F. v. GRAMENZI AUTOMATIC DRAINAGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22. 1954 INVENTOR flan/f M 'ramenzz United States Patent AUTOMATIC DRAINAGE DEVICE Frank V. G-ramenzi, Camden, N. J. Application December 22, 1954, Serial No. 477,095 3 Claims. (Cl. 103-26) The present invention relates to drainage devices which are adapted particularly to withdraw water from an inlet at a low level and discharge it at an outlet at a higher level. The invention is particularly applicable to the drainage of sinks, stationary tubs and sumps which are below the level of the waste .pipe to the sewer.

A purpose of the invention is to provide automatic operation of a drainage pump without causing frequent starting and stopping and particularly without needless hunting of the pump motor between the starting and stopping position in response to minor fluctuations of water level in a float chamber.

A further purpose is to assure that a drainage pump will start immediately when drainage is required, will operate for a time adequate to complete drainage and then will shut off once and for all without successive false stops and starts which are damaging to the mechanism, and annoying to the user.

A further purpose is to locate a float chamber connected to the pump above the level of the pump, to interpose a checkvalve between the pump and the float chamber which opens on flow into the float chamber and closes on flow out of the float chamber and to provide a throttling opening preferably through the check valve element itself which discharges liquid from the float chamber into the pump chamber and thereby measures the duration of pump operation.

A further purpose is to provide an air vent at the upper part of the float chamber to avoid having the mechanism become airbound.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawingsI have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the form shown from the standpoints ofconvenience in illustration, satisfactory operating and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic front elevation of an installation including a drainage device of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of the pump and float chamber in Figure l, with the cover broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical axial section of Figure 2 on the line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of Figure 2 on the line 4-4.

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged fragments of Figure 3 showing the check valve respectively in open and closed positions.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the check valve.

Extensive use is made of centrifugal pumps and the like to drain stationary tubs, sinks and the like, and it is common to provide for automatic operation in response to a float. One of the difficulties which has been encountered is that the device frequently does not start as quickly as required and does not shut off once and for all when discharge has been completed. In some of the check valve as water tends cases devices of this character are slow in starting due to the necessity of eliminating the air column which is passing ahead of the water, while in many other instances the pump does not stop once for all, but makes several false stops followed by starts due to the fact that the water level in the float chamber fluctuates under the influence of slugs of water preceded by air.

I have discovered that the operation of drainage pumps for tubs, sinks and 'the like in response to float action can be greatly improved by providing a check valve between the float chamber and the pump which closes toward the pump, locating the float chamber above the pump but separate from the discharge pipe, and permitting drainage of water back into the pump through a throttling opening preferably in the check valve element itself which measures the duration of pump operation. I desirably also provide an air vent in the upper part of the float chamber so as to avoid air binding of the system.

Considering now the drawings in detail, I illustrate a stationary tub or sink which has a drainage opening at the bottom forming in the inlet 21 into the drainage system. The inlet is preferably through a strainer element having a ide connection 22 to remove the strainer and clean out the drain. The strainer element 21 connects through piping 23 which extends to the inlet 24 of a centrifugal pump 25 having a housing 26 containing an impeller 27 driven by an electric motor 28.

The electric motor is suitably directly connected to the power line through a mercury switch 30 which is operated by a float 31 when it raises a float arm 32 to a predetermined level. It will, of course, be understood that the float switch may be in a relay circuit rather than directly in the motor circuit if the load is great enough to make a relay desirable.

The interior of the centrifugal pump has at its radial outer portion in line with the impeller, a discharge connection 33 which connects to piping 34 which extends upwardly to a discharge at 35 into the waste pipe or sewer pipe 36 at a level above the inlet at 21.

A passage 37 extends upwardly from the interior of the motor housing suitably removed in major portion from the direct line of the impeller, and connecting with a float chamber 38 through a valve to be described. The float 31 moves up and down in the float chamber to close and open the motor circuit. The float chamber has a removable cap 40 secured by screws 41 and having an air vent 42 connecting with the atmosphere at the top.

At the opening 37 a check valve seat 43 is placed, desirably forcing its shoulder 44 and flange 45 into the inlet opening and into a recess 46 respectively at the inlet opening. The seat 43 has a valve opening 47 near the center which is subdivided by a spider 48 which supports a central guide 50 which has an opening 51 which receives and guides a hub 52 which is secured at the center to a check valve element 53 seating on the seat. The check valve element at its outer circumference has a somewhat dished portion 54 which closes uniformly against the seat. The check valve element is restricted in opening of the valve by a washer 55 at the lower end of the hub which in open position of the valve engages the guide 50. Opposite the openings 47 the check valve element has a closure portion 56 which at the outer edge makes a reverse bend 57 tending to increase the obstruction to inlet flow and cause a more rapid opening to flow into the float chamber. The bottom of the float chamber has a throttling opening 58, here shown through the hub of the valve which drains the float chamber.

In operation of the mechanism, with the tub or sink 20 empty, the pump stops and no water is in the system except in the lower portion below the inlet and below the critical level in the float chamber. When water is dis- 3. charged from the tub or sink by opening the drain to discharge water held in the sink, water flows down into the pump chamber and rises through the inlet opening 37 to encounter the closed check valve of Figure 6. Since the check valve is relatively light, preferably formed of sheet metal, the upward flow of water opens the check valve to the position of Figure 5, and water enters the float chamber. Any air which may push I ahead of the water passes up in the float chamber and out the vent 42.

As water rises in the float chamber the float is raised to a level at which the switch 30 closes, the motor starts and the pump begins to operate. The pump draws water from the pipe 23 and the inlet 24 and forces it up the discharge. Since water no longer flows up into the pump chamber, the check valve closes, but the float remains inelevated position and the switch 30 remains closed. Water drains out throttling opening 58 until the fioat drops to a level to cut off switch 30 and stop the pump. The size of the throttling opening is small enough to make the pump operate until it has emptied the sink or tubs. Any additional drainage through the throttling opening 58 after the pump stops merely fills the pump chamber but does not cause the pump to restart since the float has dropped to the lower part of the chamber.

Thus the device will cut off directly and completely without making false starts and stops.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic drainage device for a tub, sink or the like, an inlet for the device, connected to the bottom of the tub, an outlet above the inlet, piping connecting the inlet and the outlet, an electrically operated pump operatively connected to the piping at a position below the inlet, a float chamber connected to the pump on the inlet side of said pump and positioned wholly above the pump, an air vent at the upper part of the float chamber, a float operated switch operatively connected to the pump to energize the pump when the float rises and having a float located in the float chamber, a

check valve between the valve chamber and the pump opening upwardly under the action of water flow'toward the float chamber and closing under the action of water flow away from the float chamber, and said check valve provided with a throttling opening draining the float chamber notwithstanding the fact that the check valve is closed.

2. In an automatic drainage device for a tub, sink or the like, an inlet for the device, connected to receive the drainage from the tub, sink or the like, an outlet above the inlet, piping connecting the inlet and the outlet, a pump operatively connected to the piping at a position below the inlet, an electric motor driving the pump, a float chamber connected to the pump on the inlet side of said pump and positioned wholly above the pump, an air vent at the upper part of the float chamber, a switch electrically connected to the motor. and having a first position in which the motor is energized and operating and a second position in which the motor is not energized and does not operate, a float in the float chamber operatively connected to the switch and having a higher range of position in which the switch is in its filst position and having a lower range of position in which the switch is in its second position, and a valve between the float chamber and the pump automatically admitting water into the chamber without great diminution of flow when the water in the rest of the device on the inlet side of the pump is substantially higher than that in the chamber and the pump is not operating, and holding at least the bulk of the water in the chamber for at least an appreciable period after the pump starts operating, said valve having a throttle opening discharging liquid from the float chamber.

3. A plumbing device comprising a plumbing fixture, such as a tub, requiring at least occasional drainage and having walls forming an opening through which it is drained, an outlet for the device higher than the opening, piping connecting the opening and the outlet, an electrically operated pump operatively connected to the piping at a position below the opening, a float chamber connected to the pump on the side of said pump toward the opening and positioned wholly above the pump, an air vent at the upper part of the float chamber, a switch operatively connected to the pump and having a first position in which the pump is energized and a second position in which the pump is not energized, a float in the float chamber which moves the switch from the second to the first position when the water in the float chamber rises to a certain point, and a valve between the float chamber and the pump which opens automatically to permit flow into the chamber when the relation between the pressure of the water on the pump side of it and any force tending to close it reaches a certain point, and in which the force tending to close it does not exceed the sum of the weight of the valve and the pressure of the water if any in the chamber, said valve having a throttle opening discharging liquid from the float chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,934,333 s01 Nov. 7, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,047 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1937 500,203 Germany Dec. 14, 1929 

